motions for Virgin Records. "Shes sold 6 million records so far sim- ply because her sound hits a chord with people." The key is that the chord belongs to people from 16 to 66, who enjoy her voice, the mood she creates, and the emotions she stirs. Younger fans are in fact a little surprised that they like the album as much as they do, because its a collection of songs closer to what their grandparents might have lying around than to what theyve listened to in the past.     Joness rise to stardom may have been unexpected by most, but what isnt surprising is that her approach works, similar to the way Elton Johns has. At a time in our culture when unity and family are top-of-mind concerns to people of all ages, Joness music, like Johns, is something that children, parents, and grandparents can enjoy to- gether. And because her album features more than just one hit, it has overcome the download mentality rampant among young consumers who dont perceive enough value in an album to part with $15. Her hit album is reminiscent of the sentiment and appeal of Elton Johns works. Elton John, in a sense, was a prototypical product with lyrical and melodic themes connecting at the deepest emotional lev- els to multiple market segments-a prototype that helps explain the appeal of Harry Potter books.       Creating Br and Elton   The album Elton John, if not perfect, was excellent. It delivered both lyrics and musical qualities a cut above everything else on the mar- ket, displaying Johns foundation in classical music and Taupins clas- sic poetic content layered onto his country roots. However, a great product is not enough to attain a legendary position in the industry; it takes a great brand to create star qualities and legions of loyal fans. A brand, whether it is Elton John, Krispy Kreme, or JetBlue, is a product or a service with an identifiable set of benefits wrapped in a recognizable personality. It creates an image and an identity for a product, line of products, or a company, and makes a promise to others (customers, vendors, regulators, shareholders, and everyone else), telling them what they can expect and whether they can trust the product to fulfill those expectations. Successful brands start with a blueprint that describes the needed building blocks, where they are to be placed, and how they should fit together to create a profitable venture. A brand strategy needs to consider both the functional and emo- tional elements of a brand, as seen in Figure 3.1. Functional elements may include the quality of the product or the service experience, for